Numerous styles of tissue dispensers are available. One style of tissue dispenser found in many commercial establishments is a tissue dispenser where two rolls of tissue are located side by side. For that style of tissue dispenser, it is often the problem that a user will begin the second roll of tissue before the first roll of tissue is exhausted. The custodian who services the tissue dispenser often ends up replacing both partially used rolls with new rolls of tissue thereby resulting in waste. Examples of two roll dispensers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,439,502; 6,202,956; 5,813,624; and 3,381,909. A dispenser that helps reduce waste by requiring depletion or substantial depletion of a first roll before access to a second roll is made available is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,138.
One type of tissue dispenser includes a metal housing typical of the dispenser shown in FIG. 1. The housing 10 includes a slot or opening 12 through which a first roll of tissue 14 can be accessed. A second roll of tissue 16 sits in reserve above the first roll of tissue 14. When the first roll of tissue 14 is exhausted, the second roll of tissue 16 can fall into place within the opening 12. Typically, a user may access the second roll of tissue 16 before the first roll of tissue 14 is exhausted. Furthermore, the weight of the second roll 16 often presses upon the first roll 14 and hinders the operation of the first roll 14.
Toilet tissue rolls and other paper roll products, such as paper towel rolls, typically comprise a paper web material that is wound around a central core. The core helps to support the paper web material and define the shape of the roll, as well as define a central opening for interaction with a support structure, such as a mandrel, on a suitable dispensing apparatus.
In many paper roll products, the core is a one piece structure that extends the entire width of the roll product. However, in some known paper roll products, the core is formed by core sections that are spaced apart from each other to form a gap between the core sections so that the total length of the core sections is less than the width of the web material wound onto the core sections. These reduced core paper roll products having spaced core sections separated by a gap help to reduce the amount of core stock material that is used in paper roll products. Examples of reduced core paper roll products are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,107,888; 6,648,267; and 6,491,251.
Exemplary tissue dispensers that encourage depletion of a roll of tissue before another roll of tissue is available are disclosed, for example, by U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,014,140; 6,648,267; and 6,491,251. There is a continuing need for tissue dispensers that encourage depletion of a first tissue roll before consuming a second tissue roll.